This outlet of Swensen's cafe is where I hang out with my friend during my student days.... I really love the old location which is a lone building just facing the MRT Station Plateform. I could remember the days of tucking into the EARTHQUAKE while watching the people waiting for the train on the plateform, sweat on their brows, thirsty and fanning themselves on a hot day. The view was fabulous.... many couples love to sit near the ceiling to floor window panes enjoying the sun while feeling the coolness of the air-conditioning and do the lovey dovey thingee hoping nobody will see them, HELLO its the MRT PLATEFORM opposite... I love it! at that time, Swensen's had their own hut, own escalator and even restroom.. How cool is that!!! Now.. they have shifted to the basement of the new annex of Jurong Point which I feel is too open, too noisy and dangerous..... because I always wonder.... what would drop on my head when i seat outside.. The so called outdoor seat is right smack in the middle of 3 levels of emptyness. Yes you still get the natural sunlight and the cool airconditioning and also the sneeze of somebody upstairs coupled by some dirt off some kid's shoes while they scrap their feet on the safety barracade above.
So much for my vivid imaginations, you can always opt to seat inside which is gloomy and not appealing. Well the food is as good... but the Ice-Cream is the obvious best.. Ice-cream is what they are good at. Always check out the Sundae menu, the signature BANANA SPLIT, my favourites are the GOLD RUSH-coffee and chocolate ice cream with chocolate fudge whip cream and everything nice. The Sticky Chewy Chocolate is one of the POTENT ones.... So chocolately.. even charley from the Chocolate Factory cannot handle.... My ALL TIME FAVOURITE... THE ever good, ever yummy, ever fattening, ever satisfying COLT TOWER.... I love it because i think it has a good balance of everything I like. Chocolate ice-cream with vanilla ice-cream... and layers of chcolate fudge, caramel, whip cream, fresh banana, almonds and many good memories......
The Banana Crumble and the Apple Crumple are also superbly yummy... Imagine this... the smell of slightly burnt butterscotch sauce coupled with the sizzling sound of the skillet with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream melting away atop your crispy crumble.... All the extra calories is WORTH IT......
One must not forget to order some french fries with your ice-cream.... On top of that special discount you get on your fries.. I personally find that its the best combination.... Savoury and Sweet........ Simply Perfect!!!!
I myself had just had a late lunch at Fig & Olive at the Vivocity branch yesterday. I guess the 1 for 1 main courses are pretty worth it. The portion was good and they have a good variety of chicken, fish and pasta to choose from. I would agree that the service was not much, but i guess they made up for it by their very reasonably priced promotions.
We had a Maghribi Chicken w Olive Rice
which is Herbs grilled chicken with Mediterranean style sauce served with olive rice and fresh greens ($16.10) and a Chicken Pesto Carbonara which is a
Herb grilled chicken topped with tomato sauce and melted cheese, potato cilantro and served with choice pasta carbonara ($16.10). Both dishes are yummy. The Maghribi Chicken has got an exotic spanish sauce and I simply love the herbed infused taste to it, coupled with a colourful heap of vegetables which is tantalizing to me. The olive rice in comparison is not so yummy, i perfer it a little softer with more olives as it does appear to be too dry and hard.
The chicken pesto carbonara is great too, melted cheese and tomato sauce goes well with the grilled chicken and i would say a great dish to share with children as it is not too spicy yet has got everything a kid loves.
Service I should say could be better and was better last time. Perhaps there is a change in management, however i kinda feel that the service industry in Singapore is somewhat underperformed... I won't use the word deteriorated because it was not really good before. Rather our culture has been transformed. Service standards has been improving vastly globally and people's expectations for service has been soaring, time for yourself is limited, stress is high, patience is like a thinly spread butter on an already dried up toast, money is like 'Now you see it Now its GONE!'
So sometimes when we meet some bad services or bad food or bad attitude, we just remind ourselves.... of the many hungry children in Africa and start planning in your mind how you are going to review this restaurant......
UBeau is a nail, face, body salon located in LiangSeah Street just a few steps away from 7/11, a place where great food and bustling wedding gown shops resides.
Huge signboards and serene looking spa pictures grace the pillars at the ground floor near the entrance and while i walk up the narrow stairway, i expect to see a small little haven tucked away in the bustling city life.
When i entered the small glass door, all I could see are nail artists busy buffling away and a few great looking ladies waiting by the small sitting area. For a weekday afternoon, I thought that was good business. As I sat there like nobody's child waiting... suddenly one of the nail artist looked up and asked me... are you who and who... I said.. no... I'm here for BRAZILIAN WAXING.. she said Oooh.... You have her number, please call her....
I was pretty puzzled.... since it is 15 minutes pass my appointment time, isn't she suppose to be here waiting for me already? So I was given a number to call and I was told by the aesthetician that she is on her way up... Another 15 mins crawled by... When she finally arrived, there is no signs of apology or even the slightest embarassment for being late and she just proceeded to explain to me the different prices for the different kinds of waxing available and I opted to pay a little extra for the 3D Wax.. which is suppose to be less painful. While I rejected her much convincing sales pitch on IPL brazilian, I could see disappointment in her eyes, however she proceeded to lead me to the room.
On the other side of the salon, there are 3 rooms and another table, apparently there is another lady sitting at the table offering massage services and an outsourced maintainance guy repairing light bulbs. As the rooms are just half partitioned, I started to feel a little worried as if he is on the ladder, he could basically see everything going on inside. I was let passed into one of the partitioned rooms and Liz the aesthetician just told me to undress my bottom and get on the massage table. I got on the lightly cushioned massage table with a piece of brown paper beneath it and covered myself with the towel provided. I thought to myself, I've been to worse NO FRILLS waxing, so this is still not too bad. However I never thought anything could be worse then my past experiences.
She then started to do the waxing and IT IS SUPER PAINFUL... For a seasoned brazilian waxer.. I would say it hurts way too much. Every blow is like tears shooting out of your eyes..
Firstly, no numbing or antiseptic lotion was applied, all you get is a little powder and your bare skin.
Second, the wax patches applied is too huge, this will cut down time but takes off much of your skin as well. IT HURTS.
Third, in delicate areas she just applied in huge patches left and right stuck together and proceeded to rip them off.
Fourth.. Expect no soothing words.. matter of fact halfway through she picked up her mobile phone and started TALKING WITH HER FRIEND.... Oh GOODNESS......
Five.. Don't expect it to be too clean because after the entire gruesome experience she will not help you remove the stray hairs or any other stuffs stucked there.
Its a mere.. I've finished.... get dressed and come out and pay for it....
On top of that... she asked me if I wanted to buy a package and the price is ridiculous. I could get better service and attitude plus more skillful aesthetician for a cheaper package.
This is unbelievable.... I only can speak for the brazilian waxing.. however i think that the nail parlour part is quite okay as i see alot of happy customers and friendly nail artist. They are most likely under the same company however individually managed.... So please try the other services.. just watch out if you want some waxing done... OUCH!!!!
Taking advantage of a free Saturday evening, we decided to have dinner at Pierside - a rather well established eatery under the Marmalade group of restaurants.
Just across the shore from the towering Marina Bay Sands, Pierside Kitchen occupies a corner of One Fullerton, playing neighbour to Chinese restaurant, Jing. There is an option of alfresco dining or a rather dim air conditioned interior. We opted for the former as the weather held out fine but it was the view that proved to be the deal clincher.
Complimentary Bread - Served piping hot, the complimentary bread was small but simple. And the butter melted effortlessly, which made for a nice stop gap measure against hunger pangs.
Hokkaido Corn Chowder - Smooth and creamy with a light hint of corn and a dash of pepper to accentuate the flavour, the chowder had bits of sweet corn in it to give it that nice crunchy texture. Pretty decent if you ask me.
Pan Roasted Foie Gras - It's been a while since I've had decent foie gras and Pierside didn't disappoint. While I wouldn't go as far as saying that it was great, the foie gras was respectable by many measures. A little crisp on the outside with a relatively smooth and quivery inside sans the overpowering gamy taste. Best eaten with the accompanying prune.
Crispy Duck Confit with Celeriac Puree - Crisp skin coupled with pinkish, chewy meat - no complaints really. But somehow the duck confit came up short in taste, coming across as a little pedestrian. Still a decent eat nonetheless.
300 Day Grain Fed Braised Beef Cheeks - I personally didn't quite take to the risotto that came alongside the beef cheeks, finding it a little too soft for my liking. The beef cheeks however, were reasonably tender and flavourful, with the only issue lying in the small portion size. The obligatory greens came in the form of a single stalk of asparagus chopped into half and topped with pepper and salt. Overall a decent eat.
Salted Caramel and Peanut Butter Mousse - What I liked about this dessert was the fact that it tasted like one of my favourite snacks, Reese's peanut butter cups! The mousse had a very strong taste of peanut butter (not so much salted caramel) and sat on a crunchy hazelnut base. Accompanying it was a nice dollop of vanilla bean ice cream and a few slices of caramalised bananas. Only recommended for those who really like peanut butter.
Banana Creme Brulee - The banana creme brulee looked different from your regular creme brulee in a bowl/cup. It was rectangular and flat, with the less than quivery custard sandwiched between 2 layers of perfectly torched caramel. Adding weight to the dish were banana slices that were a little charred along the edges and a scoop of mascarpone ice cream. All in all a rather nice dessert!
With dinner for 2 hitting about $190, I wouldn't say it's anywhere near cheap or reasonable. And I am not sure the quality and quantity of food justifies the pricing. For me, it's probably going to be a one time off meal at Pierside.
Enticed by the AMEX 1 for 1 set menu at Tung Lok and the prospect of catching up, a couple of us met up for dinner at The Central's Signatures (TLS for short) outlet for dinner one evening. I've actually never been a fan of Tung Lok as I've yet to experience really good food at any of their outlets, including their much touted Humble House.
Located on the 2nd floor of The Central and immaculately done up to exude an air of oriental poshness, Tung Lok Signatures stands out from the crowd of eateries that crowd the area. Tables are spaced at a relatively comfortable distance and full length windows allow a great view of Clarke Quay and the Singapore river.
Flame Traditional-style Boiled Shark’s Fin Soup with Chicken - Gimmicky flames aside (due to the lighting of wax at the side of the bowl), I thought that the broth was excellent - flavourful yet light on the palate. Fin portions were reasonably substantial with bits of chicken to balance out the texture.
Pan-fried French Foie Gras with Crispy Beancurd Skin served on Pancake - Playing on the concept of Peking Duck, TLS's take on the pan fried foie gras involved serving the foie gras (with a layer of peking duck sauce on top) together with a crackling piece of beancurd skin and wrapped over using a rectangular piece of thick crepe. I honestly thought that it was an interesting concept but I did find the foie gras way too gamy for my liking. And that honestly killed this dish for me.
Steamed Soon Hock Belly with Minced Ginger - The soon hock was fresh but a little lacking in natural sweetness. One other gripe too. Being the belly, it had tons of bones which made it a pain to consume.
Crispy Kurobuta Pork Cartilage in Chili Sauce served with Deep-fried Bun - This dish seemed promisingly at the onset but didn't quite dazzle. The pork cartilage was coated with flour, deep fried and drenched in chilli sauce that was similar to chilli crab gravy, just a lot less spicy. The meat was tender but somehow I couldn't get past my psychological barrier to stomach the gelatinous cartilage. I liked the deep fried bun though.
Braised Japanese Handmade Noodles with Lobster Meat and Vegetable - Alongside the shark's fin soup, this was probably the best dish of the evening. Springy and robust noodles with minimal portions of lobster meat and a nice, savoury gravy. And of course, the obligatory 2 stalks of vegetables.
Chilled Grapefruit Shaven Ice topped with Ice-cream served in Pomelo - I was hoping for a sweet ending to my meal. But what I got was a cold, bitter dessert, which pretty much sums up how we felt at the end of the meal. But to be fair to the grapefruit, I'm just not a fan.
With the AMEX 1 for 1 promotion, 6 of us clocked in at almost $352 for dinner. Service was good but food left much to be desired. Even with the promotion, I'm not sure I would want to fork out almost $60 a head for food of such quality and portions. And with this meal, I have officially closed the chapter on Tung Lok, never to return.
Popped by Cova Pasticceria for dinner one evening since we were in the vicinity and everywhere else was packed. Started in 1819 in Milan and originally patronised by the crème de la crème of society, Cova has expanded to a few countries in Asia to cater to those who seek "the high life" (albeit if only temporary). And the decor is telling. Dark wood coupled with European style overhanging lamps that throw off warm light and well designed cornices greet you as you step into the cozy space that Cova occupies. Simple yet elegant.
Mushroom Risotto - For $30 , I had expected something more substantial than a miserly thin layer of risotto which I finished in 2 mouthfuls. And to compound matters, the risotto was a little overcooked for my liking.
Seafood Spaghetti - The seafood spaghetti fared a little better though I did think that the spaghetti wasn't al dente. I liked the light tomato based sauce and the fresh seafood but as with the risotto, portions were pathetic.
Lamb Rack - I didn't get to try this but from observation, portions were still small.
Peanut Feuilletine - And for dessert, a tiny piece of peanut feuilletine about a third the size of a regular slice of cake you would get at the likes of Starbucks, Coffeebean etc. To give it credit, the feuillentine was nicely thin and crisp while the chopped peanuts provided a nice crunch to the whole dessert. There wasn't much to go around though.
A miserable meal for 3 cost to the tune of $130, which is ridiculously expensive in my humble opinion. Portions were pathetic and two people with average appetites would have been able to polish off all the dishes with ease (we resorted to MacDonalds after the meal). Food quality hovered around average to slightly above average but the prices (and portion size) definitely do not warrant a revisit. Also, service lacked warmth and I didn't feel invited at times. Maybe we are just the wrong target audience.
Another long overdue post. Caught up with a couple of friends over dinner at Mong Hing, a Teochew restaurant at Keypoint and where I once had a pretty good dinner before.
Prawn Rolls - The heh zhor was decent - Lean meat with pockets of fats and bits of prawn. Crisp but not too oily. Good for many bites, especially with the sweet plum sauce.
Homemade Beancurd - This certainly didn't look like beancurd, not with the circular shaped, golden brown exterior. And honestly it didn't quite taste like tofu. The texture was more like Thai prawn cakes, just a lot less dense and "fluffier" so to speak. Definitely not smooth and silky, the way I like it. The only giveaway was the taste, which had a distinctive beancurd taste. Although I like tofu, this is something I will definitely not order again.
Prawns with Deep Fried Pumpkin - At $24 for 6 prawns and 6 pieces of pumpkin coated with flour and deep fried, this was a joke. The prawns were drenched in sweet and sour sauce, which masked the natural flavour of the prawns. Total waste of prawns. The pumpkin however, were sweet and not too bad as a filler.
Stir Fried HK Kailan - Decent with a tinge of wok hei but lacking in dried sole fish. Wouldn't hurt to give a little more, would it?
Braised Goose - The goose was good - not too dry and well braised with the sauce not coming across as too salty.
We ended the meal with yam paste (orh nee) but I failed to get a shot of it. It was good but could have done with a little more fragrance. The infrequent bits of unevenness made for a nice smooth, yet inconsistent texture.
The 5 of us chalked up a bill of about $133. Not too expensive but quality of food seems to have dropped since my last visit. Maybe I should just stick to the likes of Huat Kee or Liang Kee or maybe I should give Mong Hing another chance.
I've always been a fan of Timbre's pizzas so when they came a knocking with an invitation to try out their latest offering, 12 Inch Pizzas & Records, I gladly jumped at the opportunity.
The restaurant is located on the 4th floor or V Hotel, a newly opened hotel directly above Lavender MRT and opposite the ICA. Getting up to the 4th floor can pose quite a problem as the hotel requires you to scan your card in the lift before you can select your desired floor. However, there is apparently a fireman's lift which doesn't have such requirements so you might want to consider utilising it.
The alfresco dining area occupies a huge section; one that's at least twice as large as the indoor dining area (which is very noisy and not conducive for conversations in my humble opinion). Sitting alfresco allows you a view of the neighbouring and distant buildings (ICA is one of them) and the blue skies that pervade the emptiness in between.
Interestingly, the menu comes in the form of a record, back from the days when gramophones were still in vogue. Catchy, really.
Seafood Chowder - Nothing like a bowl of good soup to get things going. But unfortunately, the soup was lacklustre. A little too diluted without the creaminess of chowder and richness of seafood. Forgettable.
Cheese Fries - I actually love cheese fries but this was disappointing as well. The cheese was a little too watery for my liking and lacked the "gooeyness" I was expecting. Credits to the fries though, which were of a nice thickness and decently done.
The Cranbellies - With absolutely no affiliation to the Irish pop group, "The Cranberries", this pizza was one of the many with names playing on various song titles and group names. What I particularly liked about this pizza was the nice comforting taste it brought to the table. Mild cranberry sauce coupled with pork belly, cheese and a nice thin and chewy pita like base and topped with slivers of crunchy green apple. Not your conventional pizza but I love it!
Goodfellas - Shrimps, sweet garlic butter, curry leave sauce, cheese and topped with crispy egg and cereals - sounds like a mish mash of ingredients but in reality, a combination that worked well! Sandwiched between the cheese and pita like base was a generous layer of sweet garlic butter while the crunchy shrimps (probably soaked in alkaline water) were topped with crunchy cereal and fluffy egg swirls (just like the kind you would find in fried fish soups). Delicious! However, too much of it made me nauseous because it did come across as very oily. So eat in moderation or share!
Tutti Frutti - Our first dessert came in the form of a 12 inch pizza as well but well, I'm not complaining. A layer of chocolate sauce beneath the cheese, sprinkled with fruits and topped with copious amounts of whipped cream. Not exactly the healthiest dessert, but it tasted interesting - Slightly savoury from the cheese but predominantly chocolatey. If you can't accept chocolate together with cheese, I would suggest you not to try this.
Deep Fried Ice Cream - Our other dessert and the only one in the current dessert menu that wasn't a pizza, the kid friendly deep fried ice cream. I didn't think too much of it though as the flour was too thick and hard for my liking. Also, the coconut ice cream encased within tasted really artificial. I would skip this in a heartbeat.
Overall, I had a wonderful and belly bursting lunch. Though the sides were merely pedestrian, the focus should be on the wonderful pizzas, which Timbre has grown to be associated with. On this note, I would like to thank Timbre for the invitation once again!
Lee Kui has been around for a long time and to date is still a popular dining destination for families seeking out Teochew food.
The interior is nothing to hark about, coming across as simple with fold-able steel frame chairs that hark back to the 70s and 80s. Reservations are necessary unless you want to show up really early at maybe 530pm?
Stir Fried Kailan with Deep Fried Sole Fish - We started off with this simple but delicious dish. The vegetables had a nice tinge of wok hei without being overcooked while the sole fish were crisp and came in rather big pieces. Nice!
Braised Duck - The braised duck was served in large slices which I personally liked but it did come across as a tad too dry and lacking in fragrance. Kudos to the addition of braised peanuts though, which I thought was nicely tender and well simmered.
Prawn Balls - The heh zhors were decent - lean meat with prawns that wasn't excessively oily. Good for many bites! However I wouldn't rate it fantastic as I've had much better ones.
Yam Paste - One of the hallmarks of Teochew cuisine, the yam paste or orh nee, was smooth but inconsistencies could be made out in the texture, which probably meant it was hand made and not machine produced. Fragrant, topped with a huge chunk of pumpkin and didn't come across as overly sweet. Nice!
Dinner for the 3 of us including 3 coconut drinks cost almost $81, which is on the high side if you ask me. Food quality is above average but at this price point, I can easily have more portions of equally good food, if not better food, at other Teochew restaurants. And do note that this place is cash only. I probably won't be back, not when there are better and cheaper Teochew restaurants around.
Had the opportunity to drop by The Tastings Room one Saturday afternoon by virtue of an invitation. This newly minted restaurant's selling point is that it has suggested wine pairings (by the glass or bottle, if you so wish) on the menu to go along with each individual food item as well as an extensive wine collection that wouldn't cost you an arm or a leg to sample. And it's helmed by Executive Chef Elvin Chew, the current president of the Singapore Junior Chefs Club (SJCC).
The Tastings Room is hidden along the perimeter of Marina Square, sandwiched between Qiji and a Vietnamese coffee house. Its location isn't what I would call prominent and it probably attracts more lunch time office crowds than weekend crowds in my personal opinion. The place is simply done up with a "cafeish" vibe and a seemingly well stocked wine cellar at one corner. Take the booth seats if you can.
Truffle Mushroom Puree Soup ($8.90) & Smoked Vine Tomato Soup with Seafood ($9.90) - We started off with the mushroom soup, which had loads of mushrooms and a rather heady taste due to the inclusion of truffle oil. However it did seem a little watered down and lacked any real oomph I would have liked in a mushroom soup. The tomato soup fared much better though. Light and not too tangy with a hint of smokiness coupled with morsels of fresh seafood. Rather appetising.
Heirloom Tomato Salad ($13.90) - Visually arresting with its vibrant colours but unfortunately didn't quite live up to expectations taste wise. The balsamic dressing was a little overwhelming while the buffalo cheese didn't come across as sufficiently soft yet firm.
White Truffle Salted House Fries ($9.90) - Nice and thick with a nice strong smell and taste of truffle oil. Pity about the frying inconsistency. Some were done just right while others tended towards the charred side.
Egg Royale ($15.90) - I'm honestly not a big fan of smoked salmon, or any variant of salmon for that matter. However, the egg royale was surprisingly good. Well smoked salmon (still a little too salty for my liking though) soaked in rich and buttery hollandaise sauce, sitting on a well toasted piece of bread. Very good!
Poached Eggs in Red Wine Hollandaise ($16.90) - I loved the fact that the egg yolk was liquid but bemoan its tastelessness! However, the sauce more than made up for the flaw - buttery goodness that was so familiar and comforting. Add a well toasted bread to the list as well as crispy bacon and you get something which I wouldn't hesitate to order again (But please work on the poached egg).
Sous Vide Pork Belly with Crackling Skin ($26.90) - Food preparation involving Sous vide, where food is vacuum packed in bags and cooked for a long period of time in a water bath, is seemingly the up and coming approach favoured by many professional restaurants in Singapore. The Tastings Room has hopped onto the bandwagon as well and to give it credit, the pork belly was good. Insanely crackling crispy skin coupled with tender but rather fatty meat for that heart stopping guilty indulgence. The rose wine apple sauce lent a gentle sweetness to the dish, which was rather refreshing in my humble opinion.
Confit of French Duck Leg (Price not available) - The duck confit came across as a little too dry and tough although the meat spotted a nice reddish hue. The sauce was a saver though - mildly sweet with tangy overtones. Overall still a decent dish.
Miso Glazed Sea Bass ($25.90) - The sea bass tasted a little overcooked and had a strong miso taste (probably too strong!) on top of a mild peppery intonation. Not exactly my cup of tea but decent nonetheless.
Vanilla Creme Brulee ($8.90) - We started our desserts with the vanilla creme brulee, which was less than ideal. The first thing that hit me when I took a mouthful of the pudding, was the strong egg taste. And it definitely didn't help that the layer of sugar was a tad too thin and came across as flimsy. The only consolation was that the creme brulee used real vanilla beans and not vanilla essence.
Chocolate D24 Durian Cake ($9.90) - I love durian but this dessert honestly didn't work for me. The durian, though rich and relatively fresh, was way too dominant in flavour and I couldn't make out any chocolate taste at all. The sponge was also a little too dry and I could make out ice chips in the durian puree, which definitely wasn't ideal.
Molten White Chocolate Fondant with Ice Cream (Price not available) - The white chocolate fondant wasn't quite what I was expecting as the texture seemed more like madeleines than your typical fondant. The oozing white chocolate was extremely sweet and the strong orange zest from the fondant itself wasn't enough to balance the sweetness out. The strawberries and blueberries did help a little though. Personally I didn't think that chocolate ice cream was a good pairing with the fondant. Rich chocolate more chocolate just makes me queasy. Maybe vanilla would have been a better bet.
Overall, I appreciate the effort by The Tastings Room to allow consumers easy and affordable access to wine pairings with their food which would be good for novices like myself. However, the quality of food was a case of hits and misses and generally, the brunch dishes fared better. I personally wouldn't go back for lunch or dinner but would consider doing brunch. Prices fall flatly in the mid range and a 3 course dinner for 2 would probably cost in the vicinity of $120 - $150 (inclusive of tax) with a glass or two of wine each.
1=SGD 0.0587
This outlet of Swensen's cafe is where I hang out with my friend during my student days.... I really love the old location which is a lone building just facing the MRT Station Plateform. I could remember the days of tucking into the EARTHQUAKE while watching the people waiting for the train on the plateform, sweat on their brows, thirsty and fanning themselves on a hot day. The view was fabulous.... many couples love to sit near the ceiling to floor window panes enjoying the sun while feeling the coolness of the air-conditioning and do the lovey dovey thingee hoping nobody will see them, HELLO its the MRT PLATEFORM opposite... I love it! at that time, Swensen's had their own hut, own escalator and even restroom.. How cool is that!!! Now.. they have shifted to the basement of the new annex of Jurong Point which I feel is too open, too noisy and dangerous..... because I always wonder.... what would drop on my head when i seat outside.. The so called outdoor seat is right smack in the middle of 3 levels of emptyness. Yes you still get the natural sunlight and the cool airconditioning and also the sneeze of somebody upstairs coupled by some dirt off some kid's shoes while they scrap their feet on the safety barracade above.
So much for my vivid imaginations, you can always opt to seat inside which is gloomy and not appealing. Well the food is as good... but the Ice-Cream is the obvious best.. Ice-cream is what they are good at. Always check out the Sundae menu, the signature BANANA SPLIT, my favourites are the GOLD RUSH-coffee and chocolate ice cream with chocolate fudge whip cream and everything nice. The Sticky Chewy Chocolate is one of the POTENT ones.... So chocolately.. even charley from the Chocolate Factory cannot handle.... My ALL TIME FAVOURITE... THE ever good, ever yummy, ever fattening, ever satisfying COLT TOWER.... I love it because i think it has a good balance of everything I like. Chocolate ice-cream with vanilla ice-cream... and layers of chcolate fudge, caramel, whip cream, fresh banana, almonds and many good memories......
The Banana Crumble and the Apple Crumple are also superbly yummy... Imagine this... the smell of slightly burnt butterscotch sauce coupled with the sizzling sound of the skillet with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream melting away atop your crispy crumble.... All the extra calories is WORTH IT......
One must not forget to order some french fries with your ice-cream.... On top of that special discount you get on your fries.. I personally find that its the best combination.... Savoury and Sweet........ Simply Perfect!!!!
Rating given:
I myself had just had a late lunch at Fig & Olive at the Vivocity branch yesterday. I guess the 1 for 1 main courses are pretty worth it. The portion was good and they have a good variety of chicken, fish and pasta to choose from. I would agree that the service was not much, but i guess they made up for it by their very reasonably priced promotions.
We had a Maghribi Chicken w Olive Rice
which is Herbs grilled chicken with Mediterranean style sauce served with olive rice and fresh greens ($16.10) and a Chicken Pesto Carbonara which is a
Herb grilled chicken topped with tomato sauce and melted cheese, potato cilantro and served with choice pasta carbonara ($16.10). Both dishes are yummy. The Maghribi Chicken has got an exotic spanish sauce and I simply love the herbed infused taste to it, coupled with a colourful heap of vegetables which is tantalizing to me. The olive rice in comparison is not so yummy, i perfer it a little softer with more olives as it does appear to be too dry and hard.
The chicken pesto carbonara is great too, melted cheese and tomato sauce goes well with the grilled chicken and i would say a great dish to share with children as it is not too spicy yet has got everything a kid loves.
Service I should say could be better and was better last time. Perhaps there is a change in management, however i kinda feel that the service industry in Singapore is somewhat underperformed... I won't use the word deteriorated because it was not really good before. Rather our culture has been transformed. Service standards has been improving vastly globally and people's expectations for service has been soaring, time for yourself is limited, stress is high, patience is like a thinly spread butter on an already dried up toast, money is like 'Now you see it Now its GONE!'
So sometimes when we meet some bad services or bad food or bad attitude, we just remind ourselves.... of the many hungry children in Africa and start planning in your mind how you are going to review this restaurant......
Rating given:
UBeau is a nail, face, body salon located in LiangSeah Street just a few steps away from 7/11, a place where great food and bustling wedding gown shops resides.
Huge signboards and serene looking spa pictures grace the pillars at the ground floor near the entrance and while i walk up the narrow stairway, i expect to see a small little haven tucked away in the bustling city life.
When i entered the small glass door, all I could see are nail artists busy buffling away and a few great looking ladies waiting by the small sitting area. For a weekday afternoon, I thought that was good business. As I sat there like nobody's child waiting... suddenly one of the nail artist looked up and asked me... are you who and who... I said.. no... I'm here for BRAZILIAN WAXING.. she said Oooh.... You have her number, please call her....
I was pretty puzzled.... since it is 15 minutes pass my appointment time, isn't she suppose to be here waiting for me already? So I was given a number to call and I was told by the aesthetician that she is on her way up... Another 15 mins crawled by... When she finally arrived, there is no signs of apology or even the slightest embarassment for being late and she just proceeded to explain to me the different prices for the different kinds of waxing available and I opted to pay a little extra for the 3D Wax.. which is suppose to be less painful. While I rejected her much convincing sales pitch on IPL brazilian, I could see disappointment in her eyes, however she proceeded to lead me to the room.
On the other side of the salon, there are 3 rooms and another table, apparently there is another lady sitting at the table offering massage services and an outsourced maintainance guy repairing light bulbs. As the rooms are just half partitioned, I started to feel a little worried as if he is on the ladder, he could basically see everything going on inside. I was let passed into one of the partitioned rooms and Liz the aesthetician just told me to undress my bottom and get on the massage table. I got on the lightly cushioned massage table with a piece of brown paper beneath it and covered myself with the towel provided. I thought to myself, I've been to worse NO FRILLS waxing, so this is still not too bad. However I never thought anything could be worse then my past experiences.
She then started to do the waxing and IT IS SUPER PAINFUL... For a seasoned brazilian waxer.. I would say it hurts way too much. Every blow is like tears shooting out of your eyes..
Firstly, no numbing or antiseptic lotion was applied, all you get is a little powder and your bare skin.
Second, the wax patches applied is too huge, this will cut down time but takes off much of your skin as well. IT HURTS.
Third, in delicate areas she just applied in huge patches left and right stuck together and proceeded to rip them off.
Fourth.. Expect no soothing words.. matter of fact halfway through she picked up her mobile phone and started TALKING WITH HER FRIEND.... Oh GOODNESS......
Five.. Don't expect it to be too clean because after the entire gruesome experience she will not help you remove the stray hairs or any other stuffs stucked there.
Its a mere.. I've finished.... get dressed and come out and pay for it....
On top of that... she asked me if I wanted to buy a package and the price is ridiculous. I could get better service and attitude plus more skillful aesthetician for a cheaper package.
This is unbelievable.... I only can speak for the brazilian waxing.. however i think that the nail parlour part is quite okay as i see alot of happy customers and friendly nail artist. They are most likely under the same company however individually managed.... So please try the other services.. just watch out if you want some waxing done... OUCH!!!!
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Taking advantage of a free Saturday evening, we decided to have dinner at Pierside - a rather well established eatery under the Marmalade group of restaurants.
Just across the shore from the towering Marina Bay Sands, Pierside Kitchen occupies a corner of One Fullerton, playing neighbour to Chinese restaurant, Jing. There is an option of alfresco dining or a rather dim air conditioned interior. We opted for the former as the weather held out fine but it was the view that proved to be the deal clincher.
Complimentary Bread - Served piping hot, the complimentary bread was small but simple. And the butter melted effortlessly, which made for a nice stop gap measure against hunger pangs.
Hokkaido Corn Chowder - Smooth and creamy with a light hint of corn and a dash of pepper to accentuate the flavour, the chowder had bits of sweet corn in it to give it that nice crunchy texture. Pretty decent if you ask me.
Pan Roasted Foie Gras - It's been a while since I've had decent foie gras and Pierside didn't disappoint. While I wouldn't go as far as saying that it was great, the foie gras was respectable by many measures. A little crisp on the outside with a relatively smooth and quivery inside sans the overpowering gamy taste. Best eaten with the accompanying prune.
Crispy Duck Confit with Celeriac Puree - Crisp skin coupled with pinkish, chewy meat - no complaints really. But somehow the duck confit came up short in taste, coming across as a little pedestrian. Still a decent eat nonetheless.
300 Day Grain Fed Braised Beef Cheeks - I personally didn't quite take to the risotto that came alongside the beef cheeks, finding it a little too soft for my liking. The beef cheeks however, were reasonably tender and flavourful, with the only issue lying in the small portion size. The obligatory greens came in the form of a single stalk of asparagus chopped into half and topped with pepper and salt. Overall a decent eat.
Salted Caramel and Peanut Butter Mousse - What I liked about this dessert was the fact that it tasted like one of my favourite snacks, Reese's peanut butter cups! The mousse had a very strong taste of peanut butter (not so much salted caramel) and sat on a crunchy hazelnut base. Accompanying it was a nice dollop of vanilla bean ice cream and a few slices of caramalised bananas. Only recommended for those who really like peanut butter.
Banana Creme Brulee - The banana creme brulee looked different from your regular creme brulee in a bowl/cup. It was rectangular and flat, with the less than quivery custard sandwiched between 2 layers of perfectly torched caramel. Adding weight to the dish were banana slices that were a little charred along the edges and a scoop of mascarpone ice cream. All in all a rather nice dessert!
With dinner for 2 hitting about $190, I wouldn't say it's anywhere near cheap or reasonable. And I am not sure the quality and quantity of food justifies the pricing. For me, it's probably going to be a one time off meal at Pierside.
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Enticed by the AMEX 1 for 1 set menu at Tung Lok and the prospect of catching up, a couple of us met up for dinner at The Central's Signatures (TLS for short) outlet for dinner one evening. I've actually never been a fan of Tung Lok as I've yet to experience really good food at any of their outlets, including their much touted Humble House.
Located on the 2nd floor of The Central and immaculately done up to exude an air of oriental poshness, Tung Lok Signatures stands out from the crowd of eateries that crowd the area. Tables are spaced at a relatively comfortable distance and full length windows allow a great view of Clarke Quay and the Singapore river.
Flame Traditional-style Boiled Shark’s Fin Soup with Chicken - Gimmicky flames aside (due to the lighting of wax at the side of the bowl), I thought that the broth was excellent - flavourful yet light on the palate. Fin portions were reasonably substantial with bits of chicken to balance out the texture.
Pan-fried French Foie Gras with Crispy Beancurd Skin served on Pancake - Playing on the concept of Peking Duck, TLS's take on the pan fried foie gras involved serving the foie gras (with a layer of peking duck sauce on top) together with a crackling piece of beancurd skin and wrapped over using a rectangular piece of thick crepe. I honestly thought that it was an interesting concept but I did find the foie gras way too gamy for my liking. And that honestly killed this dish for me.
Steamed Soon Hock Belly with Minced Ginger - The soon hock was fresh but a little lacking in natural sweetness. One other gripe too. Being the belly, it had tons of bones which made it a pain to consume.
Crispy Kurobuta Pork Cartilage in Chili Sauce served with Deep-fried Bun - This dish seemed promisingly at the onset but didn't quite dazzle. The pork cartilage was coated with flour, deep fried and drenched in chilli sauce that was similar to chilli crab gravy, just a lot less spicy. The meat was tender but somehow I couldn't get past my psychological barrier to stomach the gelatinous cartilage. I liked the deep fried bun though.
Braised Japanese Handmade Noodles with Lobster Meat and Vegetable - Alongside the shark's fin soup, this was probably the best dish of the evening. Springy and robust noodles with minimal portions of lobster meat and a nice, savoury gravy. And of course, the obligatory 2 stalks of vegetables.
Chilled Grapefruit Shaven Ice topped with Ice-cream served in Pomelo - I was hoping for a sweet ending to my meal. But what I got was a cold, bitter dessert, which pretty much sums up how we felt at the end of the meal. But to be fair to the grapefruit, I'm just not a fan.
With the AMEX 1 for 1 promotion, 6 of us clocked in at almost $352 for dinner. Service was good but food left much to be desired. Even with the promotion, I'm not sure I would want to fork out almost $60 a head for food of such quality and portions. And with this meal, I have officially closed the chapter on Tung Lok, never to return.
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Popped by Cova Pasticceria for dinner one evening since we were in the vicinity and everywhere else was packed. Started in 1819 in Milan and originally patronised by the crème de la crème of society, Cova has expanded to a few countries in Asia to cater to those who seek "the high life" (albeit if only temporary).
And the decor is telling. Dark wood coupled with European style overhanging lamps that throw off warm light and well designed cornices greet you as you step into the cozy space that Cova occupies. Simple yet elegant.
Mushroom Risotto - For $30 , I had expected something more substantial than a miserly thin layer of risotto which I finished in 2 mouthfuls. And to compound matters, the risotto was a little overcooked for my liking.
Seafood Spaghetti - The seafood spaghetti fared a little better though I did think that the spaghetti wasn't al dente. I liked the light tomato based sauce and the fresh seafood but as with the risotto, portions were pathetic.
Lamb Rack - I didn't get to try this but from observation, portions were still small.
Peanut Feuilletine - And for dessert, a tiny piece of peanut feuilletine about a third the size of a regular slice of cake you would get at the likes of Starbucks, Coffeebean etc. To give it credit, the feuillentine was nicely thin and crisp while the chopped peanuts provided a nice crunch to the whole dessert. There wasn't much to go around though.
A miserable meal for 3 cost to the tune of $130, which is ridiculously expensive in my humble opinion. Portions were pathetic and two people with average appetites would have been able to polish off all the dishes with ease (we resorted to MacDonalds after the meal). Food quality hovered around average to slightly above average but the prices (and portion size) definitely do not warrant a revisit. Also, service lacked warmth and I didn't feel invited at times. Maybe we are just the wrong target audience.
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Another long overdue post. Caught up with a couple of friends over dinner at Mong Hing, a Teochew restaurant at Keypoint and where I once had a pretty good dinner before.
Prawn Rolls - The heh zhor was decent - Lean meat with pockets of fats and bits of prawn. Crisp but not too oily. Good for many bites, especially with the sweet plum sauce.
Homemade Beancurd - This certainly didn't look like beancurd, not with the circular shaped, golden brown exterior. And honestly it didn't quite taste like tofu. The texture was more like Thai prawn cakes, just a lot less dense and "fluffier" so to speak. Definitely not smooth and silky, the way I like it. The only giveaway was the taste, which had a distinctive beancurd taste. Although I like tofu, this is something I will definitely not order again.
Prawns with Deep Fried Pumpkin - At $24 for 6 prawns and 6 pieces of pumpkin coated with flour and deep fried, this was a joke. The prawns were drenched in sweet and sour sauce, which masked the natural flavour of the prawns. Total waste of prawns. The pumpkin however, were sweet and not too bad as a filler.
Stir Fried HK Kailan - Decent with a tinge of wok hei but lacking in dried sole fish. Wouldn't hurt to give a little more, would it?
Braised Goose - The goose was good - not too dry and well braised with the sauce not coming across as too salty.
We ended the meal with yam paste (orh nee) but I failed to get a shot of it. It was good but could have done with a little more fragrance. The infrequent bits of unevenness made for a nice smooth, yet inconsistent texture.
The 5 of us chalked up a bill of about $133. Not too expensive but quality of food seems to have dropped since my last visit. Maybe I should just stick to the likes of Huat Kee or Liang Kee or maybe I should give Mong Hing another chance.
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I've always been a fan of Timbre's pizzas so when they came a knocking with an invitation to try out their latest offering, 12 Inch Pizzas & Records, I gladly jumped at the opportunity.
The restaurant is located on the 4th floor or V Hotel, a newly opened hotel directly above Lavender MRT and opposite the ICA. Getting up to the 4th floor can pose quite a problem as the hotel requires you to scan your card in the lift before you can select your desired floor. However, there is apparently a fireman's lift which doesn't have such requirements so you might want to consider utilising it.
The alfresco dining area occupies a huge section; one that's at least twice as large as the indoor dining area (which is very noisy and not conducive for conversations in my humble opinion). Sitting alfresco allows you a view of the neighbouring and distant buildings (ICA is one of them) and the blue skies that pervade the emptiness in between.
Interestingly, the menu comes in the form of a record, back from the days when gramophones were still in vogue. Catchy, really.
Seafood Chowder - Nothing like a bowl of good soup to get things going. But unfortunately, the soup was lacklustre. A little too diluted without the creaminess of chowder and richness of seafood. Forgettable.
Cheese Fries - I actually love cheese fries but this was disappointing as well. The cheese was a little too watery for my liking and lacked the "gooeyness" I was expecting. Credits to the fries though, which were of a nice thickness and decently done.
The Cranbellies - With absolutely no affiliation to the Irish pop group, "The Cranberries", this pizza was one of the many with names playing on various song titles and group names. What I particularly liked about this pizza was the nice comforting taste it brought to the table. Mild cranberry sauce coupled with pork belly, cheese and a nice thin and chewy pita like base and topped with slivers of crunchy green apple. Not your conventional pizza but I love it!
Goodfellas - Shrimps, sweet garlic butter, curry leave sauce, cheese and topped with crispy egg and cereals - sounds like a mish mash of ingredients but in reality, a combination that worked well! Sandwiched between the cheese and pita like base was a generous layer of sweet garlic butter while the crunchy shrimps (probably soaked in alkaline water) were topped with crunchy cereal and fluffy egg swirls (just like the kind you would find in fried fish soups). Delicious! However, too much of it made me nauseous because it did come across as very oily. So eat in moderation or share!
Tutti Frutti - Our first dessert came in the form of a 12 inch pizza as well but well, I'm not complaining. A layer of chocolate sauce beneath the cheese, sprinkled with fruits and topped with copious amounts of whipped cream. Not exactly the healthiest dessert, but it tasted interesting - Slightly savoury from the cheese but predominantly chocolatey. If you can't accept chocolate together with cheese, I would suggest you not to try this.
Deep Fried Ice Cream - Our other dessert and the only one in the current dessert menu that wasn't a pizza, the kid friendly deep fried ice cream. I didn't think too much of it though as the flour was too thick and hard for my liking. Also, the coconut ice cream encased within tasted really artificial. I would skip this in a heartbeat.
Overall, I had a wonderful and belly bursting lunch. Though the sides were merely pedestrian, the focus should be on the wonderful pizzas, which Timbre has grown to be associated with. On this note, I would like to thank Timbre for the invitation once again!
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Lee Kui has been around for a long time and to date is still a popular dining destination for families seeking out Teochew food.
The interior is nothing to hark about, coming across as simple with fold-able steel frame chairs that hark back to the 70s and 80s. Reservations are necessary unless you want to show up really early at maybe 530pm?
Stir Fried Kailan with Deep Fried Sole Fish - We started off with this simple but delicious dish. The vegetables had a nice tinge of wok hei without being overcooked while the sole fish were crisp and came in rather big pieces. Nice!
Braised Duck - The braised duck was served in large slices which I personally liked but it did come across as a tad too dry and lacking in fragrance. Kudos to the addition of braised peanuts though, which I thought was nicely tender and well simmered.
Prawn Balls - The heh zhors were decent - lean meat with prawns that wasn't excessively oily. Good for many bites! However I wouldn't rate it fantastic as I've had much better ones.
Yam Paste - One of the hallmarks of Teochew cuisine, the yam paste or orh nee, was smooth but inconsistencies could be made out in the texture, which probably meant it was hand made and not machine produced. Fragrant, topped with a huge chunk of pumpkin and didn't come across as overly sweet. Nice!
Dinner for the 3 of us including 3 coconut drinks cost almost $81, which is on the high side if you ask me. Food quality is above average but at this price point, I can easily have more portions of equally good food, if not better food, at other Teochew restaurants. And do note that this place is cash only. I probably won't be back, not when there are better and cheaper Teochew restaurants around.
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Had the opportunity to drop by The Tastings Room one Saturday afternoon by virtue of an invitation. This newly minted restaurant's selling point is that it has suggested wine pairings (by the glass or bottle, if you so wish) on the menu to go along with each individual food item as well as an extensive wine collection that wouldn't cost you an arm or a leg to sample. And it's helmed by Executive Chef Elvin Chew, the current president of the Singapore Junior Chefs Club (SJCC).
The Tastings Room is hidden along the perimeter of Marina Square, sandwiched between Qiji and a Vietnamese coffee house. Its location isn't what I would call prominent and it probably attracts more lunch time office crowds than weekend crowds in my personal opinion. The place is simply done up with a "cafeish" vibe and a seemingly well stocked wine cellar at one corner. Take the booth seats if you can.
Truffle Mushroom Puree Soup ($8.90) & Smoked Vine Tomato Soup with Seafood ($9.90) -
We started off with the mushroom soup, which had loads of mushrooms and a rather heady taste due to the inclusion of truffle oil. However it did seem a little watered down and lacked any real oomph I would have liked in a mushroom soup.
The tomato soup fared much better though. Light and not too tangy with a hint of smokiness coupled with morsels of fresh seafood. Rather appetising.
Heirloom Tomato Salad ($13.90) - Visually arresting with its vibrant colours but unfortunately didn't quite live up to expectations taste wise. The balsamic dressing was a little overwhelming while the buffalo cheese didn't come across as sufficiently soft yet firm.
White Truffle Salted House Fries ($9.90) - Nice and thick with a nice strong smell and taste of truffle oil. Pity about the frying inconsistency. Some were done just right while others tended towards the charred side.
Egg Royale ($15.90) - I'm honestly not a big fan of smoked salmon, or any variant of salmon for that matter. However, the egg royale was surprisingly good. Well smoked salmon (still a little too salty for my liking though) soaked in rich and buttery hollandaise sauce, sitting on a well toasted piece of bread. Very good!
Poached Eggs in Red Wine Hollandaise ($16.90) - I loved the fact that the egg yolk was liquid but bemoan its tastelessness! However, the sauce more than made up for the flaw - buttery goodness that was so familiar and comforting. Add a well toasted bread to the list as well as crispy bacon and you get something which I wouldn't hesitate to order again (But please work on the poached egg).
Sous Vide Pork Belly with Crackling Skin ($26.90) - Food preparation involving Sous vide, where food is vacuum packed in bags and cooked for a long period of time in a water bath, is seemingly the up and coming approach favoured by many professional restaurants in Singapore. The Tastings Room has hopped onto the bandwagon as well and to give it credit, the pork belly was good. Insanely crackling crispy skin coupled with tender but rather fatty meat for that heart stopping guilty indulgence. The rose wine apple sauce lent a gentle sweetness to the dish, which was rather refreshing in my humble opinion.
Confit of French Duck Leg (Price not available) - The duck confit came across as a little too dry and tough although the meat spotted a nice reddish hue. The sauce was a saver though - mildly sweet with tangy overtones. Overall still a decent dish.
Miso Glazed Sea Bass ($25.90) - The sea bass tasted a little overcooked and had a strong miso taste (probably too strong!) on top of a mild peppery intonation. Not exactly my cup of tea but decent nonetheless.
Vanilla Creme Brulee ($8.90) - We started our desserts with the vanilla creme brulee, which was less than ideal. The first thing that hit me when I took a mouthful of the pudding, was the strong egg taste. And it definitely didn't help that the layer of sugar was a tad too thin and came across as flimsy. The only consolation was that the creme brulee used real vanilla beans and not vanilla essence.
Chocolate D24 Durian Cake ($9.90) - I love durian but this dessert honestly didn't work for me. The durian, though rich and relatively fresh, was way too dominant in flavour and I couldn't make out any chocolate taste at all. The sponge was also a little too dry and I could make out ice chips in the durian puree, which definitely wasn't ideal.
Molten White Chocolate Fondant with Ice Cream (Price not available) - The white chocolate fondant wasn't quite what I was expecting as the texture seemed more like madeleines than your typical fondant. The oozing white chocolate was extremely sweet and the strong orange zest from the fondant itself wasn't enough to balance the sweetness out. The strawberries and blueberries did help a little though. Personally I didn't think that chocolate ice cream was a good pairing with the fondant. Rich chocolate more chocolate just makes me queasy. Maybe vanilla would have been a better bet.
Overall, I appreciate the effort by The Tastings Room to allow consumers easy and affordable access to wine pairings with their food which would be good for novices like myself. However, the quality of food was a case of hits and misses and generally, the brunch dishes fared better. I personally wouldn't go back for lunch or dinner but would consider doing brunch. Prices fall flatly in the mid range and a 3 course dinner for 2 would probably cost in the vicinity of $120 - $150 (inclusive of tax) with a glass or two of wine each.
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